Political instability and the security situation in 2024
Since 2012, Mali has been going through a multifaceted crisis, marked by Islamist terrorism, ethnic conflict and political unrest. Coups d'état in 2020 and 2021 were followed by sanctions from ECOWAS and the African Union. The situation worsened further in 2023, when Mali demanded the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA), creating a security vacuum.
In 2024, the situation remains critical: Islamist groups such as JNIM and ISGS are increasingly taking control of the northern and central regions. Violent conflicts between population groups are on the increase, accompanied by kidnappings, population displacements and attacks. According to UN figures, 8.8 million people are in need of humanitarian aid, many of them women and children. The state fights for control while the civilian population suffers massively.
Climate crisis and economic upheaval
The climate crisis is hitting Mali hard: between 1970 and 2023, the country has suffered more than 40 climatic shocks, including droughts and locust invasions that have destroyed harvests and threatened livelihoods. 85% of the population depends on agriculture, but unpredictable rainy seasons and extreme weather events are increasingly affecting yields. Livestock farming, which accounts for 15% of GDP, is under serious threat.
In 2024, the economic situation deteriorated further. According to the World Bank, poverty and food insecurity continue to rise. Rural areas in particular are suffering from the combination of climate crisis and violence, which is making supply even more difficult.
Women and children – the hardest hit by the crisis
In Mali, women and girls are particularly hard hit by the effects of the crisis. Despite the ratification of international agreements such as the CEDAW convention, patriarchalism is still entrenched in society, preventing any progress towards equality.
The family code continues to define men as "head of the family" and authorizes early marriage for girls from the age of 16. Female genital cutting remains widespread: 75% of the population still practice it. Access to education is limited for girls – they often drop out of school because of early marriage or for security reasons. Long journeys to school are particularly prone to sexual violence.
In recent years, progress has been made by civil society organizations. In 2020, APDF an IHRDA obtained a ruling from the African Court of Human Rights obliging Mali to combat early marriage and FGM. But implementation remains difficult.
Escalating violence and human rights violations
The security crisis has exacerbated violence against women and children. In conflict-affected regions, sexual violence, forced marriages and poverty-related prostitution are particularly common. Internally displaced women seeking refuge in refugee camps are often exposed to renewed aggression.
Socially tolerated forms of domestic and sexual violence remain widespread in Mali. Corresponding laws and their consistent application are lacking to protect women and girls.
Progress and hope for a fairer future
Despite the difficult situation, women's rights organizations and civil society are doing important work. They are fighting for the application of laws and gender equality. In urban areas, activists are implementing education programs, providing shelter and demanding political participation for women.
The African Court ruling was an important step, but the road to real equality is a long one. Women play a key role in Mali's stabilization – through economic activities, informal networks and the fight for rights.
Key figures
Area: 1,240,192 km2
Capital: Bamako / approx. 3 million inhabitants
Population: 21,3 million (2021 est.)
Population growth: 2,93% per annum
Urban population: 46,2%
Infant mortality: 59 per 1,000 live births (2015: 102)
Maternal mortality: 440 per 100,000 births
Fertility rate: 5,45 births per woman
Life expectancy: 62 years (2015: 55)
Doctors: 0.13 per 1,000 inhabitants
Hospital beds: 0.1 per 1,000 inhabitants
Literacy rate (15 years and older who can read and write): 35.5%
Source: CIA World Factbook (2025)
